Good examples of online admissions applications

[Deborah]

Can anyone recommend some good examples of online admissions applications that:

1. use web standards: good form markup, inline validation
2. display status of the process (step 1 of 8, etc)
3. are accessible
4. are usable and visually attractive
5. don't require the user to create an account in order to apply

I've been researching online admissions applications; found many that either require an account to be created, lack good markup, aren't accessible, or are confusing to complete.

[Deborah]

As I review admissions pages and applications, I've discovered there are few admissions pages that have an easy to find call to action to apply. The norm seems to be scanning a lot of text to find the "to apply" choice.

[Christopher J. Weaver]

Hi, Deborah:
I don't have any examples to share with you, at least not at the moment, but I was wondering about your 5th requirement. In my experience, any form as complex and/or long as an admission application should have the ability for the user to save their progress and return later, something which would require an account, even if it's only collecting username and password.
Obviously, most institutions use the account, and its various preferences, areas of interest, etc., in order to selectively market to a prospective, but you wouldn't need to do this. In my opinion, an account is good for a user-friendly experience on any complex or multi-page form.

[Deborah]

Hi Christopher,

Yes, I agree that a complex/long form should allow the user to save their progress and return later. I just don't think that creating an account should be a requirement, any more than having to create an account on an e-commerce site in order to shop. How often do we remember what userid we used on an e-commerce site? On the other hand, we do have a better memory of our email address.

My thoughts were in a different direction, to allow the user to complete the application with their email address as their account identifier. Once the application is submitted or saved, the higher ed school can send a confirmation email message to the applicant with a password to:

1. continue applying
2. track the progress of a submitted application

What I've discovered in my review of 40+ different higher ed admissions applications, is that more than 80% of the applications require an account to be created before the user begins the application process.

IMO this requirement is a wall for the end user. Similar to an e-commerce site that requires a user to create an account before they shop, requiring an account to be created before beginning the application process will keep many prospective students from applying.

I do understand why institutions would choose to require an account to be created. But consider the user, who has applied to five different colleges, all with different account IDs because each has a different requirement for the userid and password length/characters/numbers.

[Christopher J. Weaver]

Hi, Deborah:

I totally agree with the spirit of your desire to avoid account creation, to keep that "wall" out of the user's face; I too feel strongly that user-friendliness should drive functional design, especially for something like an online application. However, from the technical side of things, you need some kind of account (whether it's called that or not) if you want the user to be able to (a) save progress, (b) return to enter more, (c) check progress, etc.
Actually, I don't think we're really in disagreement here. You talk about using email as an "account identifier." Add a password to that, of the user's choosing, and with relatively liberal requirements, and you have what I'm suggesting.
Why not build an online app where you request an email address on the first page, as well as a password? Add in some standard address fields and you've just gotten the info you need for an "account" but couched in with other "application information" so the user is not scared off. Two fields, including one you'd ask for anyway (email). Not bad!
This would be fairly trivial for a good coder to create. The real question is, can you get something like this off the shelf?
Best of luck in your search! -Chris

[Deborah]

Chris,

>>Why not build an online app where you request an email address on the first page, as well as a password? Add in some standard address fields and you've just gotten the info you need for an "account" but couched in with other "application information" so the user is not scared off.

That's exactly what I was thinking!

[Gabe Nowicki]

Deborah, I have found the best solution to be simply collecting an e-mail address for the account and a password. Also supplying a lost/reset password option to the e-mail in case they forget it. Sometimes it is nice to collect a first and last name if you want to e-mail people that started but never finished, but I totally agree that collection too much information up front isn't a good thing for younger prospects.

We where speaking to a newer application company awhile ago and they offered to build a Facebook Connect plugin to their application software to link to the application rather then creating another account, as most prospects already have a Facebook account these days. Send me a Message if you would like their contact info.